First Chakra: Mooladhara

"The first chakra is situated below the sacrum bone in which resides the Kundalini, and its main aspect is the innocence. Innocence is the quality by which we experience pure, childlike joy, without the limitations of prejudice or conditionings. Innocence gives us dignity, balance, and a tremendous sense of direction and purpose in life."

First Chakra: Mooladhara

"The first centre is called the Mooladhara centre. It has four petals (sub-plexuses), is placed below the triangular bone, and is responsible on the physical level of the manifestation of the pelvic plexus which looks after all our excretion, inclusive of sex activity. When the Kundalini rises, then this centre becomes inactive in the excretion functions but active in the support of the rising of the Kundalini. Though the Kundalini has to rise through six centres, the first centre of Mooladhara protects the purity of chastity of the Kundalini at the time of its awakening."

"Before human beings were created, before the Earth and sky, long before the sun, the moon, and the galaxies, I filled everything with holiness and innocence. Single-handedly the Mother Holy Spirit, Adi Shakti, created Me first to guard and protect Her everywhere. My total surrender to Her and My exclusive alliance to Her can remove any obstacle. In your body I am innocence, wisdom and spontaneity. I am the sanctity of the marriage union and the blessing of saintly children. When Kundalini awakens My presence in you, you regain your lost innocence. She overcomes all of His enemies outside, as well as those within your being. I am the Everlasting Child and the sparkles of My innocence radiate the universe in a constant flow of bliss."

Shri Ganesha was created by the Adi Shakti, the Primordial Power of God Almighty, without the cause of male-female principle. Being born out of the Primordial Mother, He is with Her all the times and hence in every Chakra in the human being. He is the embodiment of innocence, purity, and chastity in creation.

In the beginning of evolution, the first amoebae cell organisms were formed. Thereafter they become more and more complex, developing into multi-cellular organisms, and ultimately into humankind. The Mooladhara Chakra is made of the earth element and represents the beginning of life. When awakened and nourished, this association with the earth element manifests as a magnetic force within that person. This Chakra is at the root or foundation of the subtle system, and so is the support of all the other Chakras. The Mooladhara is situated below the abode of the Kundalini, at the very base of the subtle body. In Sanskrit moola means root (which is Kundalini) and adhara means the support. So Mooladhara translates into"the supporter of the Kundalini."

QUALITY

The fundamental quality of this Chakra is innocence and the innate wisdom, which comes from having childlike innocence. The innocence is the type of quality which is evident in babies and small children. It represents action without motive or desire for gross personal gain. This innocence is accompanied by the innate wisdom of a child. A baby knows fundamental aspects of nature instinctively — it knows how to show discomfort by crying, or how to suck to obtain food. This root wisdom, if left untempered, would develop into a balanced set of priorities in the adult. Unfortunately the influence of parents and society tends to muddy this innocence and so obscure the wisdom that goes with it.

Simplicity, joy, purity, integrity and balance are other qualities manifest in human beings through this Chakra. Because this center governs the reproduction organs and systems, sexual attitudes and behavior critically impact the strength or weakness of this center. Sexual excessiveness, both physical and mental, creates imbalances throughout the body's systems."So we have to put our carnal desires, dissolve them into the innocence, the Ocean of Innocence, we have to dissolve it in the Ocean of Innocence. Innocence is something to be appreciated, to be understood, to be enjoyed. Like you see animals are innocent, the children they are innocent, flowers they are innocent — divert your attention to all these things."

Once Kundalini is awakened reverence for and desire to serve the Spirit within gradually becomes heightened. By awakening the qualities of the Mooladhara through meditation, we learn again to be more innocent beings, to be less motive-led in our actions, and to rediscover the wisdom which is strong enough to help us make the correct decisions in our lives.

TRADITION

The presiding deity for the Mooladhara Chakra is Shri Ganesha, the Eternal Child. He is the embodiment of innocence and He guards His Mother Kundalini (Gauri) and Her instrument with great alertness and uncompromising zeal. It is He who informs Kundalini when it is time to awaken and it is His anger which produces the heat in the sympathetic nervous system if any unauthorized person tries to do so. This is the reason why so many seekers have suffered a wide variety of mental and physical ailments, some serious enough to require hospitalization.

GROSS PHYSICAL ASPECT

The Mooladhara Chakra governs the excretory and reproductive organs, and as such has a direct bearing on the sexual aspects of the human being. There have been attempts in the past to awaken the Kundalini through sexual practice such as tantra. This is obviously very dangerous and can cause the greatest harm to the Chakra itself. If one remembers that the Mooladhara centre provides a gateway through which the Kundalini must pass, then it is easy to understand how anything which is not innocent can harm it. Sex has its place in human life as the most sublime physical expression of love within the marriage. Through this channel birth and creation continue their course. However, it is another thing to allow sex to dominate out lives and bring us out of balance. After Self-Realization one learns to develop respect and proper esteem for one's own chastity and of others. This sense of right conduct is essential for the development of our own gravity and power. It is the foundation stone of each of us as human beings, the power of incorruptible innocence.

Causes of catch or obstruction on heel of palm

A "catch" ("your hands will speak") is an imbalance. If we feel heat or tingling, or maybe even numbness in our fingertips, it means that our kundalini is alerting us to an imbalance in a particular chakra. For example: Left side is the emotional side, so it is also the side of pure desire. As seekers, our pure desire is to know the absolute truth. Of course, even when we begin to seek the truth, ego and super ego may tend to mislead us on our quest by enticing us with superficial desires. For example if you are still holding on to intellectual ideas or concepts of what truth is, when you are meditating you will very likely feel your left thumb. Left thumb corresponds to Swadisthan, the chakra of pure knowledge. So kundalini knows this misidentification is there and she starts working to clear it out, while making us aware of it as well.

OPENING THE MOOLADHARA CHAKRA

Those who wish to open their Muladhara Chakra are advised to follow instructions #16-18 of this Self-realization link. The Mother Kundalini will rise from the base Mooldhara Chakra and, after awakening all the chakras on Her path, reach the Sahasrara Chakra. There will be two self-verifiable signs of this kundalini awakening and opening of the chakras:

You are assured of your own Divine Kundalini/Mother/Spirit within giving Self-realization and opening your chakras provided you follow those instructions. That assurance in the form of Cool Breeze, which is self-verifiable, manifests due to a far higher spiritual evolution. Rest assured that this experience is absolutely without any side-effects whatsoever.

On the contrary, your own Divine Mother/Holy Spirit within will over the years lead you to a state of mind, bliss, peace, knowledge and spiritual journey that has no parallel. This second birth of the Spirit/Mother Kundalini commences the promised Resurrection and, upon physical 'death', evolution into the eternal spirit as demonstrated by Jesus Christ and upheld, albeit with different wordings and interpretations, by the holy scriptures of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Sikhsim.

But Jesus insists that for all this to manifest one must be born of the Spirit (Mother Kundalini), and the sure sign of that spiritual birth from within oneself will be the Cool Breeze (Wind):

COOL BREEZE (WIND) AND BEING BORN OF THE SPIRIT

Jesus and Nicodemus John 3:1-81. Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;
2. this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."
3. Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
4. Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"
5. Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7. "Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
8. "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

"Experience of the Spirit is of great importance to believers, and this is natural, if the Spirit is the source of new, eschatological life. However, experience of the Spirit must also take its place within a larger context. For every present encounter with the Spirit is one instant in a long history of pneumatic activity. Forgetting this point results in an overblown evaluation of the significance of experiences of the Spirit. It also results in those experiences losing much of their meaning. The Spirit encountered today is the same Spirit that spoke through the prophets, empowered Jesus and the apostles, and will someday bring about the complete transformation of all things. It is the eschatological Spirit. To experience the Spirit is to be drawn up into this pneumatic movement. Therefore, any experience of the Spirit must take its meaning from this larger historical context." (Beck 2007, 237)

Cool Breeze (Wind) experiences of those born of the SpiritJudith Coney is a lecturer in the Department of Study of Religions at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. She published her book in 1999 prior to this website and refrained from mentioning the eschatological significance of the "cool breeze" experiences felt by hundreds of thousands since the 1970s till date.

"The result, in all three settings [Royal Albert Hall, local meeting or private house], is that many people do feel a cool breeze. The coolness which is felt is usually associated with other sensations as well. Typically, the pupils of the eyes can be observed to dilate and the person will feel very relaxed and 'centred.' However, it is notable that, despite the very similar ways in which individuals 'get their realisation'—and even in the same setting—not everybody feels exactly the same thing. Sri Mataji teaches that the vibrations of kundalini can be felt as cool breeze on the palm of the hands and above the head. Sometimes breezes, in line with the teachings, are felt on the hands and head specifically. For others, the experience is more generalized:

The experience was extremely timeless, because I felt that it only lasted for about five minutes but somebody came behind me and said 'would you like a cup of tea' and I thought, 'this is silly, what's all this about tea?; But it turned out that it was about three quarters of an hour later. And I felt a strong cool breeze. I was actually told; you will probably feel some coolness or some nice feelings inside' but I felt coolness not just in my hands, where I was told it would be, but all over and I felt incredibly peaceful.

Generally, the feeling of coolness on 'realisation' seems to be discernible, but relatively weak. As with Kakar's description of his own 'realisation', many newcomers are left with the feeling that they felt something but they are not sure what:

Mataji grandly announced, 'He is realised' ... 'Sit in meditation for some time' she told me as I sat up. 'Do you feel a cool breeze on the top of your head and on your palms?' Indeed I did, though I could not distinguish the coolness due to kundalini from the gutsy breeze coming in from the sea. I felt well, though, calm and deeply relaxed. (Kakar 1984, 195-6)

A few, however, have an extremely strong experience. One such incident was described by one of the participating Sahaja Yogis:

He felt really cool, not just on his hands but all over. He said: 'This isn't a breeze, it's a wind'. We all felt it really strongly too. Then we picked up Mother's photograph and held it in front of him and he felt loads of vibrations coming from that. But I think the whole thing was so strong that it frightened him. He was very high and positive for two days, he brought us some flowers, and then he became wary and never came to [the ashram] again.

Others still, in contrast, do not feel much, if anything, on their first session. This lack of feeling on their part, however, may not be shared by the Sahaja Yogis 'working on them', who may remark enthusiastically about how cool the individual feels, and may also be at odds with the view of Sri Mataji herself. Here is the description of his initial contact with Sahaja Yoga by one such follower. He first went to a meeting at which Sri Mataji gave 'realisation' en masse, but felt nothing. Nevertheless, he was persuaded to go to a smaller workshop a few days later.

I really didn't feel anything there at all either but I was told by Mataji herself-she said 'Who hasn't felt it yet?' and I put my hand up with a few others. Mataji said 'Come forward' and then she said to me 'You've got it, you know'. And I said 'Have I?' and she said 'Yes, go through to that room and ask some Sahaja Yogis to work on you'. So that was my introduction to Sahaja Yoga.

It was only with repeated sessions that he developed the ability to feel a cool breeze. There are also those, a few, who may feel more calm, possibly as a result of sitting quietly for some time, but otherwise feel no different and never feel any sort of breeze. This is often explained by Sahaja Yogis as being because the chakras have been too badly damaged by negativity in the past (Rajasekharan and Venkatesan 1992, 98).

Kakar (1984, 208), a trained Freudian psychologist, having witnessed Sri Mataji's delivery of 'realisation' both en masse and on a one-to-one basis, concluded that much of this experience is built on suggestion and 'hypnotic induction':

Needless to add, because of the emotional pressures created in a group setting, the tendency to identify with the experience of other group members and the intense desire to please the leader, only a handful of people hold out against this mass suggestion. (ibid., 209)

Such a conclusion would undoubtedly be rejected by a Sahaja Yogi, convinced that they have experienced their Spirit through the grace of Sri Mataji. It is not within the remit of my present enquiry, however, to seek to establish the 'real cause' of a cool breeze felt by an individual, but to try chart the social dynamics involved. Just as Goodman commented, in relation to religious experience:

The religious practitioners argue for it, either because it is part of their dogma, or because, as they affirm, they have 'been there', they have experienced it. The hard scientists take the opposite position, again as a matter of conviction. As social scientists, our situation is a happier one: at least we can state that, without any doubt, the alternate reality is a social one. (Goodman 1988, 43)."

Judith Coney, Sahaja Yoga
RoutledgeCurzon, 1999, pp. 55-58

Since the 1970s tens of thousands of Sahaja Yogis "have [daily] experienced their Spirit through the grace of Sri Mataji... they affirm, they have 'been there', they have experienced it.""Such a conclusion would undoubtedly be rejected by a Sahaja Yogi, convinced that they have experienced their Spirit through the grace of Sri Mataji. It is not within the remit of my present enquiry, however, to seek to establish the 'real cause' of a cool breeze felt by an individual, but to try chart the social dynamics involved. Just as Goodman commented, in relation to religious experience: The religious practitioners argue for it, either because it is part of their dogma, or because, as they affirm, they have 'been there', they have experienced it." (Coney 1999, 58)

"The Cool Breeze coming out of your head, that's called as Chaitanya Lahari, that's called Cool Breeze of the Holy Ghost. When John the Baptist talked about baptism, he meant this. He didn't mean the way we do baptism, to just call somebody, put some water on the head, and say 'Oh, you're baptized. That's just a drama. Baptism is a living process."

The Spirit-Paraclete Shri Mataji
Truth to be Achieved, Brighton, U.K.—7 October 1982

"The Cool Breeze is all around us and we can start feeling in our hands when the Kundalini emerges from the top of the head if our Vishuddhi is alright. This is what Christ meant by 'to be born again' and not just to call some people and say 'Alright, now we have some baptism.'"

The Spirit-Paraclete Shri Mataji
We don't have to suffer, Bedford, U.K.—8 October 1982

"As prophesied in the scriptures, the phase of Last Judgment has started. The testing ground is of great illusion (Mahamaya). Kundalini is the indicator of our balance and wisdom. She will evaluate, correct and evolve us. Sahaja Yoga gives you a chance to be fully your meaning. Take full advantage of it. Establish your attention in the Absolute (Atman) and achieve the life eternal in the Kingdom of God."

The Spirit-Paraclete Shri Mataji
London, U.K.—June, 1980

The Divine Mother in this Age has come in the form of Shri Mataji (1923-2011) who, as the promised Paraclete, brought closure to Jesus' message of the Kingdom of God and commenced the Resurrection. For Hindus, Sikhs and others that should be understood as Kundalini awakening and Atma jnana that is absolutely essential for moksa.My essence is complete innocence in thought, word, and action. I came many times in the form of prophets, saints and gurus of each and every religion, giving you laws and principles whose observance gave inner balance and harmony.

Today when Kundalini awakens My presence in you (second spiritual 'birth'/'being born again' of Spirit), religion is no more a belief—it becomes a living state within. As you become the childlike disciple of your Mother, I make you your own master and in this lifetime strive to liberate you from ceaseless rebirths on this Earth (moksa) and lead you to residence and life eternal in My heavenly Paradise (Kingdom of God). These few names of mine confirm that I reside within you and so will be able to fulfill that promise:

Shri KundaliniKundalini [110th] She is coiled like a serpent. She is stated to assume 3 1/2 coils - the form in which Sri Lalita resides in sacrum bone of every human as potential state.Shri Muladharambujarudha Devi(Muladharambujarudha [514th]: She is mounted on the four-petalled Muladhara-Padma at the level of the anus.)Shri Svadhisthananambuja-gata Devi(Svadhisthananambuja-gata: [504th]: Resides in the six-petalled Svadhisthana-Chakra at the level of the sex organ. This name means Herself resides as Fire in that Chakra.)Shri Manipurabja-nilaya Devi(Manipurabja-nilaya [495th]: She has Manipurna-Padma as Her abode near the navel. This Padma has ten petals.)Shri Anahatabja-nilaya Devi(Anahatabja-nilaya [485th]: She dwells in the Anahata-Chakra near the heart as Rakini.)Shri Visuddhi-Chakra-nilaya Devi(Visuddhi-chakra-nilaya [475th]: Dwelling in the Visuddha Padma of 16 petals.)Shri Agnya-Chakrabja-nilaya Devi(Agnya-chakrabja-nilaya (521st): Resides in the two-petalled Agnya-chakra. Residing in this Chakra, She controls various organs (Indriyas). Hence, it is known as Agnya-Chakra situated between the eye-brows.)Shri Sahasra-dala-padmastha Devi(Sahasra-dala-padmastha [528th]: Residing in the Thousand-Petaled Lotus.)

GENERAL ADVICE FROM SHRI MATAJI

The most effective way to clear or heal chakra problems ('catch"or obstruction) is to put attention on the affected chakra during meditation and allow the Mother Kundalini to heal. Remain in the thoughtless state while you work on the affected chakra. Always remember this quote of Shri Mataji:

"Kundalini will rise and She will cleanse you completely. Kundalini will rise and always cleanse the chakras."

Shri Mataji Nirmala DeviSydney, Australia, March 31, 1991

Once this is power is established no external rituals are required as catches will be healed instantly and constantly by the Mother Kundalini within. Until and unless external cleansing rituals are discarded this power will never be established. On the contrary, all these rituals only make matters worse according to Shri Mataji:

"The people who think that they can control their ego will eat less or use all types of methods to control ego. For example, someone is standing on one leg or other one on his head, all types of efforts they are doing to reduce their ego.

But with all these techniques, ego doesn't vanish. On the contrary, ego increases. Fasting, reciting the names, increases your ego. With Havans also ego increases because Agni, fire, is the right side element. Anything which is rituals increases your ego.

Human being thinks that they are alright, since they are doing these rituals since thousand years. All the wrong teachings they are still following. For this reason Sahaja Yoga is against Karma Kanda, that is rituals. No need to do any kind of Karma Kanda.

And to go to the extreme point is also dangerous. I had asked them to shoe-beat to destroy their ego and what I see that every morning all the Sahaja Yogis go in the line with their shoes for shoe-beatings. But I had asked to do this if you have ego in you.

All these rituals have entered into Sahaja Yoga. I got somebody in France with the list of the treatments of Vashi hospital. But that was for sick peoples. This is the nature of human being to follow the rituals because he thinks that he can do it."

QUOTES OF SHRI MATAJI

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

"No one, so far in the history of spirituality, has ever raised the Kundalini in such a short time, as you people are doing. It moves under your fingers. It is absolutely Shri Ganesha's power which is given to you.

The Ganesha shakti is given to you by Shri Ganesha Himself within you, to give you the confidence. To give you the confidence that you can raise the Kundalini, but not the feeling that you are raising the Kundalini. If you go on without surrendering yourself to Sahaja Yoga, after some time you will lose this power very fast.

At the time when you are moving your hand on Kundalini, it is the greatest power you are using. I don't know how much ,shraddha' (faith) you have for yourself and about the power you have got. At that time there will be no obstruction on your hand by anyone whatsoever.

When you are raising the Kundalini, attention of the person who is taking the realization from you, will not be attracted by outside things. That means you can raise the Kundalini at any time, because, at that time you reside in the lotus which is closed.

At the time of Kundalini awakening you will not have baser or impure feelings about the person to whom you are giving the realization. May be before and after, but not when you are giving the realization. These dirty feelings will not come to you, automatically. You do not have to stop your mind, automatically it will work.

You will be absolutely satisfied. Even if you are hungry, you will not feel the hunger or any physical need at the time you are giving the realization.

There will be no distraction of any kind. You won't do anything that is undignified. At that time you are being blessed with dignity. At that time you will never joke, nor will you make fun nor will you be frivolous. You talk to the person in such a manner, that the person becomes wise and you also talk only that which is wisdom.

These powers can be maintained if you try to follow Shri Ganesha. These are His powers."

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

"That is an eternal quality you have got. You never lose your innocence. Maybe, as clouds can cover the whole sky, maybe your ego and conditionings and your mistakes might have covered it, but it is always there — always there! Only thing, it is for you to respect it, to behave in a manner that you respect your innocence. Not to feel shy about your innocence. Never. Your innocence itself is a Power and your innocence will definitely give you that wisdom by which you can solve all the problems without any difficulties."

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

ADDITIONAL QUOTES

"Mooladhara Chakra

The first chakra is situated below the sacrum bone in which resides the Kundalini, and its main aspect is the innocence. Innocence is the quality by which we experience pure, childlike joy, without the limitations of prejudice or conditionings. Innocence gives us dignity, balance, and a tremendous sense of direction and purpose in life. It is nothing but simplicity, purity and joy. It is the inner wisdom that is ever present in the little children, and gets sometimes clouded by our modern lifestyles. But it is a quality which exists eternally within us and cannot be destroyed, waiting to be manifest as pure joy when the Kundalini rises."

www.sahajayoga.org

"In most forms of Tantric worship, the awakening of the Kundalini Sakti in the body plays a great role: Sakti lies dormant, coiled up at the base of the human body. Through Tantric practices, especially the employment of mantras, she is awakened and sent through the main nerves of the body trough the other cakras, absorbing the mantras and elements in them, thereby identifying the sadhaka with Kundalini Sakti until Kundalini and Siva unite blissfully in the highest of the cakras. The aim of the Tantrika is always the union of Sakti and Siva, the merging into Sakti. The details of Tantrasastra are very complex and obscure. It does not have any specific mythology of its own and only develops the idea of the Goddess as the ground of everything.

The Goddess is the great Sakti. She is Maya, for of her the maya which produces the samsara is. As Lord of Maya she is Mahamaya. Devi is avidya because she binds, and vidya because she liberates and destroys the samsara. She is praktri and as existing before creation is the Adya Sakti. Devi is the Vacaka Sakti, the manif4estation of Cit in Praktri, and the Vicya Sakti or Cit itself. The Atma should be contemplated as Devi. Sakti or Devi is thus the Brahman revealed in the mother aspect (Srimata) as creatrix and nourisher of the worlds. Kali say of herself in Yogini Tantra: "I am the bodily form of Saccidananda and I am the brahman that has emanated from brahman....

Since it is the aim of the Tantrika to become one with the Goddess, conceived as present in flesh and blood, it becomes understandable that bodily worship and physical acts of devotion play a central role in Tantricism."

"Malamatiyah, a Sufi (Muslim mystic) group that flourished in Samanid Iran during the 8th century... often referred to the Qur'anic verse"I [God] swear by the reproachful soul"as the basis for their philosophy. This verse, they said, clearly praised a self that constantly reproached and blamed its owner for the slightest deviation from the world of God. The reproachful self in Malamati terminology was the perfect self."

Britannica Online(1994-1998 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.)

"Kundalini, Evolution and Scientific Proof

While science has argued that human evolution has been driven by competition, selection and the need to propagate ones genes, the kundalini experience suggests there is a hidden psychospiritual mechanism within each individual which transforms the evolutionary experience from one rooted solely in the physical body and the ego to one in which the integration and purification of the psyche becomes the central goal.

This transcendental view of psychospiritual evolution points to the function of the subtle body comprising the chakras and nadis of yoga as the key to understanding this process.

The individual consciousness is transformed through the action of kundalini on the chakras and subtle energy. Traditionally, this is symbolised by the spiral path of the mystics or individual odyssey of mythology or spiritual pilgrimage of religion.

This process also brings a transformation in the central nervous system and brain as the endocrine system is activated at a subtle level, the sexual fluids can become sublimated, and the whole psychophysical organism purified and refined....

While the West has no explicit cultural or scientific map for the kundalini process, the yogic traditions of the East, particularly Hindu Tantric Yoga and some aspects of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism and Taoism, offer a profound framework of understanding within which the unfolding of the kundalini experience can be viewed.

As kundalini works on the mind, body and spirit, the individual consciousness is gradually immersed in a greater reality than that of the conditioned consciousness be it termed the primordial state of emptiness of Buddhism, the Atman of Hinduism or the Tao of Taoism.

In the Western psychological tradition, Jung acknowledged the validity of this process in human development and growth of the psyche. He pointed to the role of symbolic forms such as mandalas as expressions of the need for the emerging kundalini to find harmony and balance to realise her purpose within the individual....

While kundalini can be compared to the Holy Spirit within Christian mysticism, the New Testament offers no explicit model of psychophysical transformation in the manner of the yogic traditions. Thus, while for someone actually experiencing the Holy Spirit, the correlation with kundalini may make perfect sense and be extremely useful, to someone without a Christian outlook there are few conceptual reference points to understand their experiences and the process of transformation it brings.

Thus, particularly in the climate of secular and scientific Western culture, it may help to distinguish between public and personal models of kundalini awakening.

This is not to say there is anything wrong with theistic belief systems, nor that they fail to explain the kundalini experience, but rather that for a wider public living outside that particular world view or belief system it may not provide a language or conceptual framework with which they can easily sympathise either emotionally or intellectually.

Personal models of kundalini awakening often centre on theistic belief systems, and, as said above, there is clearly nothing wrong with this, for Christianity, Sufism and Kabbala, for instance, all offer profound frameworks within which to view kundalini."

www.create.org/

"Question: What is Guru's grace? How does it lead to Self-realisation?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Guru is the Self. Sometimes in his life a man becomes dissatisfied and not content with what he has, he seeks the satisfaction of his desires through prayer to God. His mind is gradually purified until he longs to know God, more to obtain his grace than to satisfy his worldly desires. Then, God's grace begins to manifest. God takes the form of a Guru and appears to the devotee, teaches him the truth and, moreover, purifies his mind by association. The devotee's mind gains strength and is then able to turn inward. By meditation it is further purified and it remains still without the least ripple. That calm expanse is the Self.

The Guru is both external and internal. From the exterior he gives a push to the mind to turn it inwards. From the interior he pulls the mind towards the Self and helps in the quietening of the mind. That is Guru's grace. There is no difference between God, Guru and the Self."

www.hinduism.co.za/

"Sitting quietly; doing nothing, stilling the mind and calming the body, has never been the western way. For centuries, meditation and Yoga (Union) have been regard by Europeans as an esoteric, Oriental practise of little practical benefit.

But over the last two decades, the increasing speed and pressures of modern living have been matched by an increasing need for ways to cope with them. Medical science is now proving what a growing number of people in the West have discovered for themselves: That the relaxation of true meditation has measurable beneficial effects on all levels of our being, with no damaging side effects.

In the Yoga of true meditation, there develops a conscious awareness of the subtle energy that exists within us all, and a spontaneous connection with the inner mechanism by which it is governed. This integration cannot be forced through exercises, chanting or mantras. It happens as a natural awakening, in just the same way that our body grows and maintains itself, without any conscious effort on our part.

The last few years have seen the evolution of a process whereby this inner integration can take place in ordinary people everywhere, irrespective of age, occupation race, colour and creed. It is not a theory or a concept that has to be worked at. Sahaja Yoga is a solid experience, an actual, physical relative verifiable in one's own nervous system, that leads on to spontaneous improvements in one's well-being and relationship with the world. These include numerous incidents in overcoming alcohol and drug addiction, diseases (such as cancer), heart problems and other physical and mental disorders such as stress, depression and tension.

The word Sahaja means 'in-born', because the purifying and healing energy that is gently awakened lies waiting within every Human Being from birth.

From that moment one is able to start bringing balance into one's life. As well as the benefits mentioned above, the simple meditation and techniques of Sahaja Yoga bring one onto the central path, between such damaging opposites as: Too much lethargy or too much frantic activity, —too much emotion or lack of emotion—of living too much in the past, or thinking too much of the future. So one becomes a calm, joyful personality, confident and able to enjoy living in the now of the present."

www.healingrays.com/yoga.htm

"I have been practising the Universal Energy since 1996 up to level 4 with many well known teachers with the intention of curing people and myself, for which I never charge any money. I did a few experiments against my teachers advise, but worked, which made me more advance than other people, who were in the same level as me. I have also studied fortune telling and facial fortune telling, which helped in combining the curing.

Throughout my years of practising the Universal Energy, I have cured many patients, who got better, but I felt the excessive heat, pain and discomfort inside. Sometimes when curing, I also got the patients illness too. I felt weak every time after curing people, therefore, I only treated myself and a few closed friends. Being a forever learner of new techniques, I went to two more teachers, who taught about the Kundalini.

Not until after I read a newspaper article on Sahaja Yoga, I felt challenged to prove their method. To begin with, I didn't gain much, until after a month, when I learned more and have tried a few techniques like shoe beating, soak my feet into salted water, the Havan fire etc., although sounded and appeared strange at first, but after the experience, they all worked in clearing my negativities and troubles inside me. Everything became better and cleared. I now understand 100% about the Chakras system. Sahaja Yoga taught me how to transfer the adverse energies from my left and right sides to the central channel, which keeps me in balance, I can feel the coolness and not the heat and pain inside any more. Also taught me how to raise the Kundalini energy, by myself, which helps me clear all the negativities inside me and also protects me. So far, whenever I asked Shri Mataji, our founder to help, my prayers have always been answered.

My well known teacher, who taught me the Universal Energy, Luong Minh Dang Dasira Narada, a Vietnamese, told me once, that the next era will be a very powerful women, whom many people respect, now I understand why and feel, that I am most lucky and privileged to have found Sahaja Yoga by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. I have now been in Sahaja Yoga for just over a year and stopped completely, this forever searching for new techniques because Sahaja Yoga provides me all the answers to my search. It gives me the intuition, that do not concentrate on the curing, but teach other people about Sahaja Yoga which will help them automatically to cure themselves health wise as well as spiritually, will be the best solutions to help them. Now, I would not recommend the Universal Energy to anyone because of the ultimate health adverse effect, after understanding more from Sahaja Yoga."

Amanda Currie, www.thai.net/

"For sometime I had been trying to find the path to God and I just knew innately there was something out in this world that would be the link to my spirit. I knew I had a spirit but that was all and felt a yearning to fulfil an empty hole. Each day I would ask in my prayers please God show me the path to God. I watched other people travelling the world and searching for answers. Others I watched throwing all caution to the wind and going with the good and fast life and damn the consequences. Then came all the books on New Age and the writers travelling the world in convoys in commanding huge amounts of money for their seminars...interesting I felt but so what...

I too tried some of these ways and it was difficult as I had been bought up a Catholic and had all the hand-ups and conditionings that went with it. I guess just like all the other religions and felt guilty if I looked for my life meaning elsewhere. My conditionings were trapping me. I experimented with TM for a very short time and looking back all I can say it made me open my eyes and question further why are these people doing this form of meditation not only do they want large sums of money to start and continue all the people seemed to be continually battling their hot tempers, dropping out of the mainstream and running away from the responsibilities they had with their partners and children. Thank goodness in the very early days I had the sense not to continue before I too became damaged. years later but only six months or so after my earnest prayers seeking my path to God I had my realization with Sahaja Yoga. The last two years, it was right under my nose and I never realized. I was working with a colleague who was a Sahaja yogi. How blessed I was and my prayers were answered. Through Sahaja Yoga's techniques, this colleague awakened a sacred energy in me, called the Kundalini and instantly I knew I had found the truth. I felt so calm, so much joy inside it was a feeling of all the sun rays melting down upon you and inside I just felt calm. I started meditating each day and clearing myself of my problems with all the Sahaja techniques. The idea of Sahaja Yoga is that the Kundalini, this sacred energy I mentioned above, once awakened, will clear all our physical and emotional imbalances. At the same time, it gives us a higher spiritual insight, and enlightened all our 7 chakras. Through meditation, we start being able to perceive our chakras, and the flow of Kundalini energy that passes through them.

I have had many blessings and had to face many moments of truth but if I look back, I know that I have grown physically, mentally and spiritually power the last two years. Physically, I have now nearly cured my self of asthma which I have suffered since childhood and it is now just so wonderful to be able to breath and partake in a normal life something I could never do. Mentally, I am learning daily not to be attached to what goes on around me and to live in the day which is difficult given my professional life as a Marketing and Business Development Manager which involves so much planning, action and outcomes...All that is now a thing of the past....well nearly I still fall into the traps occasionally but at least I know when I am and can get myself out of there. Spiritually, I know my knowledge and understanding of myself has grown and the vibrations that are awakened on our finger tips I use in my everyday life to make my decisions. One example was whilst I was wait listed at Singapore airport to return to my home city I had sometime to kill and browsed through the airport magazine and bookshop which I love doing as Singapore airport always has the latest publications of everything. I picked up two so called best sellers"spiritual books". I tried to browse through them but felt so overcome with heat and giddiness just like a real panic attack and I just could not concentrate or continue. I put the books down wondering what was happening to me and left the shop to sit down and recover. The instant I put the books down the symptoms disappeared and I realized my own vibrations and vibratory awareness told me these books were not the pure knowledge. They are indeed written by people more interested by the commercial aspect of spirituality than by real inner evolution, and this is how our own Kundalini energy guides us in daily life, helping us to discriminate the truth . I continue to enjoy Sahaja Yoga meditation and my love and recognition for Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi the founder of Sahaja Yoga is my total joy each and every day.

I hope this letter will give some of you the desire to experience Sahaja Yoga by yourself, and to find out the truth about it."

www.thai.net/

"Meditation encompasses many levels of depths, from meditative wakefulness during the performance of one's day-to-day work (i.e.," remembrance of the Divine") to most profound experiences of meditative absorption in which the yogin is unaware of external reality, unless a strong stimulus (such as a loud sound or physical touch) registers in his highly internalized consciousness and draws him back into experiencing the outer world.

Medical studies have shown what yogins have known for thousands of years: Meditation is beneficial to the body and mind. As it is accompanied by deep relaxation, it unstresses the body causing a feeling of physiological and psychological ease, rejuvenation, and heightened vitality. At more advanced levels, the practitioner experiences deep peace and tranquility, which carry over into everyday life. There is also a sense of getting in touch with one's innermost truth, which aids the integration of the personality. Finally, at the highest level of meditation, the boundaries of the subject become blurred and the doorway opens to the experience of transempirical realms of existence (the lokas of higher nonhuman entities, such as deities).

But the spiritual purpose of meditation is neither physical or mental well-being nor higher forms of cognition but ecstatic merging with the object of meditation—samadhi. And the ultimate purpose of samadhi is Self-realization (atma-jnana, purusha-khyati), or liberation. Thus meditation is never an end in itself. It is simply intended to prepare the ground for the recovery of one's true identity, which is the everlasting Self."